The Idyllic Cypress-and fir-covered Ionian islands stretch down the western coast of Greece from Corfu in the North to Kythira, of the southern tip of the Peloponnese. Mountainous, with dramatic cliff-backed beaches, soft light, and turquoise coloured water, they are more italian in feel, offering a contrasting experience to other greek islands.
Corfu is the second largest and most important island in the group and many consider it to be Greece's most beautiful island.
Corfu Town
Built on a promontory and wedged between two fortresses, Corfu's old town is a tangle of narrow alleyways of shuttered, venetian buildings. The elegant Liston, in the center of town, is a row of arcaded buildings inspired by the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. The town's Palaio Frourio (old fortress) stands on an eastern promintory, separated from the town by parks and gardens known as the Spianada. The Neo Frourio (new fortress) lies to the North West. Ferries dock at the new port, just West of the Neo Frourio.
Around the Island
The main resort of the west coast is Paleokastritsa, set around a series of gorgeous Cypress-backed bays. Further South, there are good beaches around the small village of Agios Gordios. Between Paleokastritsa and Agios Gordios is the hill top villas of Pelekas, a good place to watch the sunset.
Getting there and away
Corfu's Ioannis Kapodistrias airport is 3km from Corfu Town. Olympic airlines and AGN airlines offer several flights daily to Athens while Olympic also flies to Thessaloniki a few times a week. There are hourly ferries to Igoumenitsa (6 Euro, 1.5 hours), a daily ferry to Paxi, and in summer there are daily services to Patra (21 Euro-25 Euro, 6 hours) on the international ferries. Daily buses to Athens (30 Euro, 8.5 hours) and Thessaloniki (29 Euro, 8 hours) leave from the Avrami terminal.
Getting Around
Buses for villages close to Corfu Town Leave from Palteia San Rocco. Services to other destination leave from Avrami terminal. A taxi from the airport to the old town costs around 10 Euro.
Sites
The Archaeological Museum houses a collection of finds from Mycenaean to classical times. The Church of Agios Spiridon has a richly decorated interior and displays the remains of Saint Spiridon, paraded through town four times a year.
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